Intermittent fasting (IF) has gained tremendous popularity over the last few years, with an eating pattern that involves fasting. It essentially focuses on when you eat. IF has been viewed by many as being effective in weight management programs, cardio vascular disease, diabetes, etc. 

Intermittent fasting involves eating during specific hours and then fasting for certain number of hours. This enables your body to be programmed into eating fewer calories which ultimately helps in weight-loss over a period of time. 

There are different methods of IF such as 16/8 diet, 5:2 diet, alternate day fasting (ADF), etc. However, the most common method is the 16/8 method wherein one eats for eight hours and fasts for the remaining 16 hours. But what about water? Well, one can consume water and zero calorie beverages such as black coffee and tea, herbal tea, etc during the 16 hour long fast. When one begins IF, one may fast between dinner & breakfast the next morning which is approximately 12 hours. Post that, the fasting period should be gradually increased to 16 hours with a 8 hour eating window.  

The goal here is to encourage fat burning that happens during short term fasting. Calories need not be particularly restricted but there is weight-loss observed due to the overall reduction in calorie consumption.